


Mr. Christmas

by loveliestfirebird



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-02-13 11:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12983220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveliestfirebird/pseuds/loveliestfirebird
Summary: Belle discovers her cold boss is a mall Santa Claus.This work will no longer be updated and instead will be revamped under a new work!





	1. Chapter 1

Belle French was excited to step into the law office building of Gold and Co. Her contact with her lawyer, the employer, had been strictly emails after he called her with a proposition. Her resume had been sent out with the academic advisor’s help over a variety of places. She’d gotten replies from several places, but things happened and taking a job as a lawyer’s assistant while the “Co” part of Gold and Co were moving out had been the best bet. It stayed near her hometown and she’d finally be able to afford the apartment above the abandoned library she always wanted. She was ready to get her first day done with and couldn’t wait to meet the man everyone had warned her against. As if to accentuate this, a young, pregnant looking woman rushed out of the building muttering obscenities about Mr. Gold himself.

The interior was much more modern than she was expecting the town of Storybrooke to have. It was mostly homegrown stores and ma and pop restaurants built with the style of reclaimed wood and old furnishings to look welcoming. Gold and Co. Law Offices were sleek with lots of glass walls, some painted black, and monochromatic palette down to the uniforms. All women were in dark colored pantsuits, men dressed to the nines as well, and she came in dressed in a bird’s egg blue mid-thigh dress. She felt simultaneously over and under dressed going up to the receptionist and collecting her information. Ruby Lucas was the most out of place person there and that was only because a few streaks of hair were more unnaturally red than the rest. She was pretty and seemed very bored.

“Welcome to Gold and Co. Law Offices. I’m Ruby Lucas, how may I help you?”

“I’m Belle French. I have a meeting with Archibald Hopper at Human Resources. I’m Mr. Gold’s new assistant.”

“You’re here to see Archie? C’mon, I’ll take you!” Ruby pushed out of her rolling chair and skipped around to offer her arm.

Belle chuckled, less nervous than she had been. “You like working here?”

Ruby shrugged as she punched in the code to go downstairs towards H.R offices. “I’m only a temp until after the holidays. Pay is good, but, well…I'm sure you’ve heard everything about Mr. Gold by now.”

“Yeah, nothing good.” She continued following half a step behind when they left the elevator and started heading down the luminescent hallway.

“Prepare for that. And for the sympathetic looks when you tell people at the bar when he sends you there crying after a shift. You met your replacement already, I think.”

Belle thought about the girl running out just a moment ago into the budding winter weather. She quickly cleared that from her head when Ruby opened the door and therein the small, cramped office sat a gentle looking man. A lounge chair that looked like it belonged in a therapist office rested in front of a desk cluttered as the book cases and filing cabinets around him. He was ginger haired with thin circled glasses that he blushed behind seeing Ruby walk in. She waved flirtatiously and blew him a kiss.

“This is Belle. She’s Gold’s new assistant so take care of her, alright? I gotta get back. Love you!” Ruby spun on her heel and flounced out of the room happy as could be.

“She’s always like that. She’s just really nice.” Archie grew flustered and she could feel the room getting warmer from his embarrassment. “Anyway, let’s get your paperwork done while I’ll send you upstairs. Mr. Gold?”

“Make it fast, Hopper, I don’t have time.” Mr. Gold answered the speaker phone call Archie was making. Belle’s breath caught in her throat.

“I have your new assistant here. Paper work is finished and I’m sending her up.” Archie explained while typing out on his computer and taking the documents that said she could work in the States.

“She’s an hour late.” Gold snarked his attitude through the phone.

“Apologies, sir. I’m still adapting to the driving conditions.” Belle stuck up for herself so Archie would have time signing his part of the documents.

“Did I ask? Get yourself up here immediately. If you’re not here in the next two minutes you will be meeting Ms. Boyd for breakfast.”

Belle bristled, but kept her cool as she delicately replied, “Yes, sir. Just after I sign what Mr. Hopper requires of me.”

“Requires of- dammit! Ruby!”

The line was presumably cut by him yelling at the receptionist. Belle simply sat down and continued scribbling out her signature as she decided she would do first. What she had most learned in school was that no one controlled her decisions except for her. If he had been nicer about it, she would be on her way right then. She believed without meeting him that he simply wasn't used to being told no. She figured treating him calmly and with a bout of determination would later solidify their relationship in a co-habitable boss-employee environment. Archie, meanwhile, was positively sweating bullets. Belle smiled and reached into her bag to pull out a Kleenex.

He smiled, grateful, and went over the harassment policies and how Gold was able to talk to his employees the way he did. Short answer: they were getting paid more than they would for their job than anywhere else. Long answer: nobody would go against him in a court case because he was the most powerful lawyer, bachelor, man, and landlord on the east coast. He was completely untouchable. So much so that, when it was revealed that his first divorce was on basis of failure to consummate, not a soul mocked him openly. They feared he might be lurking around each and every corner. After the disappearance of Killian Jones from security, nobody even dared.

A few moments later after everything was signed, rather quickly because Archie was still nervous, Belle stood to go upstairs. The door swung open with a loud bang to reveal an older man in an Arman suit. Her heart jumped up to her throat, she was completely lost and sat down on her chair. He strolled in behind an ebony cane tipped with harsh gold. His eyes were the shade of warm amber on a summer night. He said nothing, his wispy brown gray hair falling softly, slowly down across his face. Worn and having seen stormy weathers. She wanted to touch his hand and promise him that whatever troubles he held on those slender shoulders would be okay. Then he smiled and she didn’t know who he was anymore.

“Mr. Gold, Belle was just about to come meet you upstairs.” Archie halfheartedly introduced the pair. Her heart dropped to her stomach.

“Of course. Ms. French, follow me.” He waved two fingers for her to do so.

Belle waited until they were in the elevator before saying anything else about it. “I meant no disrespect earlier. Truly.”

Mr. Gold sniffed and rolled his neck. “It is alright, Ms. French. Just mind that you will not disrespect me in front of my employees again.”

Belle puffed out her chest. “My apologies, Mr Gold. I want to establish a beneficial relationship between the two of us and I understand it grows from a place of trust. If you ask me a question or my opinion on something, you can expect me not to lie to you for sake of staying your good graces. We spoke of this during interviews.”

“You are correct, Ms. French, we had. Within it, I explicitly told you was that if we mutually respect one another, we’d get along swimmingly well. That is not the case here. Your first day, you’re an hour late, and you tell me, albeit a little gentler, no. Do you understand my position, dearie?”

They were now top floor in his circular office made of windows. Her breath caught in her chest and not in the beautiful way it had earlier. Belle glanced at where, presumably her, desk was. “If you were nicer about it, I would have. If I apologize, can you?”

Mr. Gold pursed his lips for a moment as though it were a consideration he could. In lieu of one he said, “Fetch my coffee, Ms. French, and we shall see while you dictate a memo for me.”

“Alright then.” She nodded with a sigh. She got to the heavy, dark wooden, door. “I do apologize, Mr. Gold.”

Again, he said nothing and Mr. Gold never raised his voice above a slight murmur for the rest of the day. Belle stayed within the office and learned about the layout via the map on the wall behind her. She didn’t break for lunch, but he still didn’t give her much to do during the hour. She sat in silence going thought the tutorial for the system, but it wasn’t anything difficult as she’d have perhaps feared if she wasn’t already familiar with it. There was a lot of clicking through which got on her nerves as much as it probably did his. She’d smile almost apologetically each time their eyes met across the room. He’d sigh and huff, but she would catch a timid little smile buried there somewhere. He had a beautiful smile, especially in secret.

As quitting time came closer around the bend, Belle lost the time and was sat there in the office with Mr. Gold nearly an hour after her shift ended just doing little things. Filing, copying, typing tons of documents to have them sent to another department to have finalized before sending them out to clients, future or otherwise. It was nigh on seven o’clock by the time she shut off her computer and it was only because he was putting his coat on. She rushed on over to him and helped his arms and the spiced cologne he wore into the soft fabric with silk on the inside, or something like it. Her fingers wanted to linger, but her resolve was firm. She could appear a fool for standing up for herself any day, fine. Acting a fool only because her boss was handsome and seemed like he’d be soft to touch was out of the question.

“Good night, Ms. French.”

“I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.”

He chuckled, good natured. “You’ll be first in line for a raise if you start that.”

*********************

Four years later Belle French not only lived above the library in her dream first apartment, she owned and ran the library beneath it as a nonprofit charitable organization, and was the longest employed at Gold Law. She dressed as Mr. Gold’s equal in beautiful outfits, turned the required uniform upside down, and still fought with him on a daily basis. Yet, there was no better person to be by his side than Belle French. She was made aware of all his worst secrets and calmly handled any scandal before he could hit his cane against it. Cora Mills had rejuvenated the people’s belief that he was a beast, but Belle had secured their financial station. They didn’t lose a dime in inevitable divorce settlements.

Belle decided this would definitely be the year she’d buy him a birthday / Christmas / New Year present. She knew his birthday was sometime around very late December, early January. The card he’d gotten from Neal Cassidy had gifted her that much information. So, one evening after she left at seven which he still paid her overtime for instead of just changing her hours, off to the mall she went. Ruby Lucas came along with, even though she’d left the business a few days after Belle’s first day. Somebody had falsely claimed sexual harassment against her despite the fact everyone knew of her intimate, although secret, relationship with Archie. Gold wouldn’t have it under his roof and fired both accuser and Ruby. It went away soon after when Ruby became the proprietor of everyone’s favorite small town diner she affectionately called Granny’s.

“I have one hundred percent no idea what you’re going to do.” Ruby offered when Belle looked at another watch.

“Well, Archie wanted you gone from the house today anyway for a few hours.” Belle shrugged.

“Because he’s proposing tonight.” Ruby absentmindedly said, but Belle heard and stared, totally in shock. “He accidentally spilled it this morning. He asked Sunday and did this whole thing about this-totally-isn't-how-I wanted-to-do-it. So I told him do it how he wanted and we’ll see what I said.”

“Ruby! That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.” She lied, but Ruby actually blushed. “Let’s go check out dresses?”

“What about Gold’s gift?” Ruby questioned. She pointed at a mall Santa with a crying child. “Maybe he’ll know what that beast would want the one year he gets anything besides coal.”

Belle laughed in what was hopefully a joke and they went along their adventure. They looked at a few wedding dresses and found one or two that were only a maybe and nothing that got Ruby excited to be a bride. After lunch in the food court, Ruby left to hopefully get engaged if Archie hadn't completely lost his nerves yet. Belle turned the volume up on her phone just in case and went back to looking for Gold’s stupid present. The moment she put it in her pocket, it rang with Gold’s tone. She pushed her hair back and smiled as she answered. Something she’d learned to do over the years to put on a happier voice with him.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Gold. What can I do for you?”

“I’m, uh. I’m going to be late to our meeting. I, where the hell are you? A playground?” Gold scoured.

“I’m at the mall. I don’t need to be there for another hour?”

“Er-yes, an extra hour. I’ll see you then, Belle.”

Her chest blossomed with light and joy when he used her first name. He rarely ever did and really only did so when he was calling her with these situations. She wished he’d share his first name with her so she could maybe give him the same feeling. At first it was respect, but it grew so much more after the first few days. She’d desired him from the first second she saw him, but this was more than that. He was smarter than any man she’d met. He challenged her, made her grow from the young naive go getter into, what she thought of herself as, a someone who was smarter through sly actions rather than tough and argumentative negotiations. He taught her to take what she wanted and not let up until it was hers. Of course, like something from her books, that one thing she mostly wanted and couldn’t have was him.

On her way out the mall so she could get to the office before him, Belle stopped to admire Santa. He seemed so nice and gentle. His face was warm, eyes shining with joy of what he was doing, everything about him was just a perfect character. Even his voice, from what she could hear of it, was warm and that nice Scottish brogue that she admired from Mr. Gold when he was reading off something to her or the office, though less robotized or bored. She stepped closer, out of the way so the excited children could run on ahead of her. That’s when she saw it. The cane sitting behind Santa’s chair. The ebony tip was changed to a reindeer tail with the rest of a cutout. He hadn't noticed her, of course. No good Santa ever would take his eyes off the kids. A teenager dressed as an elf hung up the Closed sign just as Belle snuck into line.

“Excuse me, Miss? Kids under thirteen only.” Another elf told her as polite as could be. She smiled recognizing David Nolan.

“Apologies, but I know Santa. He’s the only one who can answer a question for me.” Belle leaned forward to whisper, “I’ll wait until after, do you mind?”

“After everything you’ve done to help Emma with school? I can look the other way.” He winked and stepped aside.

Belle giggled and waited patiently behind everybody. The crowd dwindled down and parents escorted away beaming, rarely screaming, children and printed pictures. Some had gotten all dressed up in red and puffs of fake white fur around the collar, others just in their bundled up coats. It was the most heartwarming scene she’d ever seen. He caught her eye when he was all finished and dusting glitter off himself. He faltered, but ever the professional it was very brief and unnoticeable. She walked up to him without shame.

“Hello, Santa.” She greeted, bouncing on her heels. “Can I ask you something?”

“S-Certainly, Belle.”

“I’m looking for a present for my boss, Mr. Gold. He’s the most wonderful soul and I have no idea what the man who has anything could want?” Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

“I…I don’t think he has everything. Of monetary value, sure. Perhaps he’d like something that can’t be bought? A goodwill towards fellow man, common decency, friendship.”

“I can do that. Thank you, Santa. Can I still get a picture?” Belle motioned over her shoulder where the photographer was already cleaned up and ready to go home.

“Another time, I think. For your stocking. Now, if you don’t go, I believe you’ll be late for work.”

“Not in four years. My boss is truly a sweetheart. I think he’ll understand.” She placed a gentle hand on his arm, but didn’t let it stay.

Back at the office, Belle sat with lunch that she’d still had time to get it. Her desk was at an angle right by his, having moved a few inches over the course of the years. When he arrived, she was watering his flowers. Not because it was her job, but she’d started doing it forever ago and just never stopped. He’d even replenish the day after she made a comment about it. Mr. Gold came in looking at them and appearing a bit flustered. Or was he just still a little rosy cheeked, she thought with a hidden smile across her face.

“I don’t know why you bother with the blasted things.” He commented, back in his unruly state of professionalism. She was still, visibly, quite pleased and contented.

“You like them. You got a message on the machine. I decided against listening for you.”

“Such generosity. Grab a pen, looks like it’s just the Atlanta circuit looking for a pulse.”

Belle chuckled and sat down with her pad and pen off his desk. It was growing warmer in the office now and she knew it wasn’t the central heat having been fixed that morning. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as she waited for some kind of note to write down, but it was just a call from Neal checking up on things. She frowned a touch at the tone of personal emotion she hadn’t heard in four years. And he knew about Mr. Gold being the mall Santa every other year, asked if Gold was still living in that pink house, and promised that he wasn’t going to spend this year abroad with his mom. Belle swallowed, not sure what to think, but it was nothing compared to what Mr. Gold looked. He was petrified, frozen with his finger on the button. Belle moved forward and placed her hand on his.

“Do you know this person?” She asked calmly.

“I’ve not seen him since…He’s always at his mother’s and I…” He trailed off, turning his head to lean his forehead against her abdomen. Belle withdrew her hands and lightly ran her fingers through his hair.

“Sounds like you’re going to have a lovely holiday season.” She hoped her smile was encouraging. Belle knelt down in front of him. “What are you so fearful of?”

“I, I’m. It’s my son. It’s my boy. That’s my son and he’s coming home for Christmas.” He turned his chair and took her by the hands. “Belle, I need this kept quiet. And the, the other thing you learned today.”

“Of course. I’d do anything for you, Mr. Gold. You’re my best friend.”

“I think you’d be the closest I’d have to one as well. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m so happy for you. So, can we talk about earlier? What made you become a mall Santa?” She asked, carefully.

“Well, it’s…It’s a way to n-not be myself and make others happy. My son actually got me into it. He wanted to see Santa in real life or something like that.” He furrowed his brows in thought. She drew his hands to her face.

“You sound like a good father. And a good, intelligent, kind person. Warm. Soft.” She met his eyes then after a moment of looking at his hands. “Beautiful.”

“Beautiful?” He blanched in shock, hands going cold and reflexively tightening around hers for security.

“I’d always known you were, but today just, seeing you as kind as I always thought you’d be, it was like-”

Belle leaned forward, her intentions quite clear. He didn’t move a muscle and let her kiss happen naturally as the sun rise. When she drew back, his hands were on her waist and she was standing above him. He stood to be barely an inch taller than her, pulling her closer into his arms. He felt perfect against her. Her lungs were burning and she felt like she was going to fall into a puddle on the floor. She looked into his eyes after, the melting vanilla ice cream taste still on her lips and the spice smell of his cologne swarming her. He used a thumb to tuck her hair behind her ears.

“I’ve not been this happy in a long time.” He murmured.

“I always want to make you happy. Seeing you like this is perfect.”

“So what can I get you for Christmas, Ms. French? Since I’ve got your-”

“More than friendship?” Belle teased.

“Y-yes.”

“A really, really nice Christmas bonus?” She teased with a grin. “A beautifully signed card written by your secretary?”

“What about a beautiful necklace?” He asked, going into his desk and bringing out a red box with white ribbon. “Which was yours anyway, by the way.”

Belle pulled the ribbon and opened the box. It was just a simple circle shaped locked with a pink octagon shine at the center. Instead of a picture there was a quote from one of her favorite books. She looked up at him with water brimming in her eyes. She kissed his chin and turned away so he could clip it around her neck.


	2. Chapter 2

Belle French walked up the steps of Mr. Gold’s most infamous house. She’d never been further than the mailbox and the one brief situation of stepping inside to turn the heat on before he returned from a trip. She hadn’t been in the morning on a crisp late December day as a guest for his kind of Christmas party. After their kiss, they hadn’t had much time for romance in the way they wanted. They got tacked onto a murder case through a series of unfortunate events and, aside from that, getting caught wasn’t on their agenda. She never took off the necklace he’d given her and their adoring gazes would only linger if they were alone. With a murder case, their lunch hours were drowned with other people. Witnesses, other client’s lawyers, officers, anyone attached. It got to the point where their only time was twenty minutes in a vehicle going to the courthouse or on the off chance he thought driving her home would be decent.

It was, and she still had the hickey to prove it.

Outside from work, his personal life was still too hectic to just invite her over under the guise of business. He was overly stressed from having his son over. It ended up in her planning nearly everything for Neal’s arrival. Gold had even forgotten to invite her over for the entire ordeal. He’d done it the night before in a moment of emotional hysteria and after two glasses of whiskey. Their court date had gotten pushed into the next year after the holiday season and it’d displeased him greatly. He didn’t want to have to think about what he needed to do for the trial while also settling Neal into his home. Belle couldn’t wait to spend this time with Gold, hold him in her arms for a little while, and help him get through this difficult time. 

The man himself opened the door and she didn’t bother hiding the grin. 

“Hi.” She greeted, offering the pan wrapped in aluminum foil. “He here?”

“Not yet. He’s on the way from the airport.” 

“I’m excited to meet him.” She followed him inside and shucked her coat onto the stand nearby. She waited until he set her dish down before wrapping her arms around his neck.

“I’m so happy you’re here. I can’t believe I forgot to invite you.” He apologized, holding her at arms length.

“I’m here now.” She brushed back hair from his face. “Let’s go get warmed up?”

“Right this way.”

They adjourned to the formal sitting room where a fireplace was sitting warm against the wall. She removed her heels and made herself comfortable on the sofa where she extended her arms for him to join her. He sat down against her side. 

“This is exactly how we should be doing this.” She said, looking into the fire. “Where is your tree at?”

“In storage. I…I never had a reason to take it out. It’s always been me in a Santa outfit until five in the afternoon at a mall.”

“I wish I knew that these last few years.” She turned her head to kiss his jawline. “Explains why it was always me and you on Christmas anyway.”

“Well, explains why me. Why you?”

“I wasn’t alone, exactly. I spoke with my father on holidays every year and got Chinese for dinner. There were lots of people there. Just…none I deeply cared about.”

“We could have been doing this a lot longer is what I’m hearing.” His arms tightened around her. 

Belle shifted to lay him slightly back enough to lay atop him. “That’s exactly right. Where did you hang our mistletoe?”

“I can get Dove to go buy some when he takes the tree out of storage. Where should we put it?” 

“Oh, I know exactly where we can put it.” 

Belle leaned forward, body pressing against his and arms wrapped around his neck. She pressed her lips to his, full and completely, and almost painfully in her lungs. She adored Gold, almost as much as he felt for her. The world was lost to her and the taste of his lips. She smiled, stopping to look into his eyes. He had bunched up her skirt between his fingers and her knee was nestled between his. 

“Stay with me tonight.”

“I always want to stay with you. R-”

They separated like two teenagers on date night when the door opened. Belle sat up with a flushed expression, accidentally looking in the direction of the front door. Gold fixed his own rumpled up clothes and grabbed his cane to hobble over. She heard jovial, yet awkward, greetings. She blindly fixed her makeup before standing and going over to join them. It was Neal. There wasn’t any doubt about it with how similar they both looked in the color of hair, shape of the eyes, and the strained smile. He had a gentle, boyish face as well. As she approached, Neal looked at her suspiciously. She extended her hand and put on a hopefully good-natured smile.

“This is Belle. My-”

“Girlfriend.” She intercepted, wrapping an almost protective arm around Gold. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Neal.”

“Nice to meet you.” Neal said after a long pause and looked at his father. “Are yooou joining us?”

Belle and Gold looked between each other then, just as she started to have her doubts on that. She’d love to, of course. But this was his first holiday with Neal in years. She felt then that she should make her leave for this reason. Her arm dropped from Gold’s waist to grab her coat and do so, but he tightened his hold on her as if he could sense it.

“She is. Can I show you to your room? I kept it together for you.”

“I never lived here.” Neal pointed out, leading the way up the stairs.

“A reckless spark of optimism.” Gold followed. Belle stayed at the bottom of the stairs and leaned against the railing.

“Shall I call Dove for the tree?” 

“Certainly. And stir the soup, won’t you, please love?”

Belle nodded with a grin. She stayed for a moment and watched the father and son ascend the stairs and dive into conversation. Neal snickered and it sounded just like Gold. The only thing that didn’t make this moment any better was that Neal called Gold by his first name. She hoped the seventeen year old, on winter break from high school, could warm up to the idea. It would make Gold’s entire world to be called dad again if they could get to that point. She’d give them all the time they need to make that happen. 

She went into the kitchen and got on her cell phone with Dove at the same time for him to bring the tree and decorations out of storage either that day or the next. Meanwhile she turned up the radio sitting on the counter while she stirred the soup. She also decided to make a few sandwiches seeing the ingredients that she wanted lying about. She stirred egg and milk into a bowl and dipped turkey and swiss cheese slices between wheat bread just enough to have a light spread. She then tossed them onto the frying pan as if she were just making them grilled cheese sandwiches. When that was finished, Belle made use of his coffee maker for herself and Gold primarily. She wasn’t sure if Neal drank, but there was plenty enough for the three of them to enjoy on a cold December afternoon.

A knock at the door made her blood run cold. She padded across the floor and stole a peak out the curtain. There was a tall woman there with thick brunette locks and waring a pantsuit. She didn’t look familiar in the slightest which meant she wasn’t part of the firm at all. Belle fiddled her hands together. Instead of answering the door and risking seeing one of his partners, thus harming her job and her relationship as well as ruining a nice afternoon between Neal and Gold. The knocking continued, gradually growing louder and louder. It was unsettling, but she calmed herself with not knowing if the visitor was annoyed or simply just angry. She went upstairs to call for Gold and have him come answer the door.

“Gold? Neal?”

“In here!”

Belle followed Gold’s voice, thickened as if he’d been crying, down the hallway and to the last door on the left. She was about to explain why she’d called when her heartstrings were pulled. They were sitting together on a small twin bed looking through an album settled on Neal’s lap. There were tear stains on Gold’s face and Neal looked astonished. She smiled and leaned against the frame of the door. She would have left them like that, but they finally heard the knocking and jumped up.

“Hey. There’s a woman in a pantsuit knocking on the door? I didn’t want to interrupt you.” She explained with a fond smile.

“You didn’t get it? She sounds pretty pissed.” Neal accused while Gold stood and grabbed his cane.

“Not if it’s a business partner.” Belle responded. “Lunch is ready if you want to join me? Your father made soup and I made-”

“Great, thanks.” Neal interrupted, shutting the door in her face as soon as Gold was out of the room.

“Come on.” Gold slipped in his hand into hers to pull her along with him.

“I dealt with worse from you for four years.” She granted, but squeezed his hand for comfort. “So who’s at the door? You seemed to know who I was describing.”

“My ex-wife’s daughter, Regina. I have a technical kind of custody over her, so she visits around the holidays.”

Belle stilled her nerves. Her Christmases went from slightly having people around to now trying to get on the good side of her boyfriend’s children. She had this. She definitely had this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle visits Mr. Gold at his home where they are joined by his long lost son and ex-step-daughter. Absolutely no drama ensues and everything is fine.
> 
> slight trigger warning for non-graphic finger injury of the broken teacup variety.

Belle was currently on a plush sofa in the formal sitting room with Gold next to her, Neal slouched on an arm chair, and the sort of step-daughter Regina on the opposite side chair. Belle fiddled with her nails absentmindedly in fear. She’d known his son was going to be here and that wasn’t going well. She hadn’t known Regina to be and didn’t have high hopes with the younger woman. There might have been a five year difference at the least and it somehow made Belle incredibly. Regina was a subtle ripple in the house, but had fluttered the wave high enough for breath needing to be held. Gold placed his hand atop hers and curled his fingers around hers. He removed it when she smiled at him in reassurance and she wished he hadn’t. 

“So,” Regina sniffed, dabbing the oil from the sandwich off the bread. “Couldn’t keep up with older women and decided to go for younger?”

Neal snickered and went back to type on his phone.

Belle’s heart plummeted, her body paralyzed at the awkwardness. 

Gold wasn’t deterred. “More like a change in preference of style.” 

“Zelena would be pleased to know. You still got her number?” Regina asked Neal.

“Mhm.” 

“Zelena’s still restricted from conversing with him under the restraining order.” Belle said, sinking herself further in. The corner of Gold’s lip quirked, but he didn’t smile for anyone else.

“Oh!” Regina quirked an eyebrow and tried the coffee just to grimace at the taste.

“Something wrong with the coffee, Regina?” Belle questioned.

“A bit too sweet for my taste. What did you add?”

“I only made the pot and set the cream and sugar out.” 

Neal snickered and pocketed his phone to address his father. “You still haven’t put up a tree yet?”

“Dove is on his way with it out of storage. We wanted to wait on you.” Belle’s spine felt straighter and her voice stronger in fairness and confidence.

“It’s always up before I am.” Neal shrugged as if he didn’t really care.

“A rather important case came up. We were working.” Gold excused himself. 

“It’s true then. You are dating the help.” Regina wasn’t asking and was actually quite amused as if she found this out on her own. “That’s a step up from wedding the client after her divorce.”

“And we’re happy as can be.” Belle grinned at Gold for the sheer fact of rubbing her ease in Regina’s face. Gold just gave her a look.

Silence fell on the odd couple and his little family. Belle excused herself to pick up their dishes and paper towels from the lunch to clean them in the kitchen. Gold followed, his limp soft on the hardwood floor. He placed a comforting hand on her right elbow while standing at her left side. The bend of his arm bumped her back and drew her nearer. He kissed her temple and she felt the scratch of his growing beard. He’d been too stressed to shave lately since that case. She had only seen him briefly with a beard, just shortly after she started working at his offices. It had been cause of a divorce she now assumed was to Regina’s mother. 

Remembering the iciness around him in that sullen time, she dropped her dishes in the sink and turned to wrap her arms around his neck. His embrace tightened for the short time they were entangled before they withdrew from each other. She turned back to cleaning while he promised she’d been doing well and mentioned Neal’s girlfriend dropping by for a moment. So startled was she that a small coffee cup dropped from her slippery grasp amongst the suds, cutting her finger. Belle snatched her hand back with a his and held it tightly while rushing for a cleaned, dry, dishtowel to wrap in it until she could get to a powder room.

“Sweetheart, what happened?” Gold hobbled behind her cautiously.

“One of the cups broke in the sink and I cut myself. It’s fine!” She tossed over her shoulder while hurrying along, finger now wrapped as best she could.

“Come here to me. Neal!”

The alertness in his father’s voice must have alerted Neal because he was out of breath when he stood in the archway. “What happened?”

“Pantry, the white box.” Gold requested, sending instructions telepathically as well in hopes Neal would comprehend. He helped Belle atop a bar stool and placed her hand palm up on the counter top on the towel.

“Here. What’d you do? You were left alone for two minutes.” 

Whoever Neal was accusing, Belle wasn’t sure yet still felt presumably all the guilt for the both of them. Meanwhile Gold got to work cleaning the cut enough to see how bad it was. He sighed, apparently a signal that she wouldn’t need stitches. That was great. No hospital to be at instead to sew her finger up instead of meeting her boyfriend’s son, that girlfriend, and an ex step-daughter. When she began hyperventilating and growing sick at the thought, Gold placed her forehead on his shoulder with his free hand and keeping her out of his light. When she winced at the cool peroxide sizzling out any hint of infection, Gold flinched with her and apologized over and over. He smoothed ointment on it and pressed a band-aid around. He kissed it for good measure. Withe the orange slice in the medi-kit, he pushed it into her mouth.

“Are you alright?” Neal asked, brows furrowed.

Belle nodded and removed the orange. “What’s this for?”

“The same science behind having a snack after giving blood.” Neal explained while Gold cleaned up the supplies.

“I didn’t lose that much. I would’ve been fine.”

Gold stopped what he was doing mid gauze roll and faced her. “Remember when I’d become a full mountain man and grew that horrible beard? And when I tried shaving it?”

“I thought you’d never shaved before. It was so rough and you kept nicking yourself.” She lightly touched where said beard was. 

“It was the kindest thing anyone’s ever done for me. I swore that day I’d take care of you, drop of a hat.”

“Divorced my mother that weekend.” Regina broke the sweetest moment of Belle’s life. 

“You’re the reason he left that thing?” Neal stepped in. He looked guilty when Regina shot him a look.

“Not in so many words.” Gold granted, going to answer his phone and pulling Belle by the hand to tag along with him.

They stood in the foyer with him talking to whoever hired him at the mall as Santa. They needed him to come in for the afternoon before it got dark. Belle could see the torment on his face at telling them that he just couldn’t. He liked doing it, she realized, regardless of the sentimental aspect with his son having convinced him to. A surge of love and adoration poured out of her heart. She hugged him, careful not to touch with her injured finger, and kissed his jawline. He leaned away smiling and continued talking on the phone, but much more at ease and subdued. While he hung up, Belle opened the door for Dove carrying in the large cardboard box containing the tree, as well as a large bin behind him with all the decoration.

“Thank you so much! Please say you’re going to have dinner with us tonight?” Belle invited, all mood about how this might go vanished.

“Would love to Ms. French, but I need to get home to my own.” He apologized, with a bend of the waist to accentuate how gentlemanly he was.

“Send our love to Martha and the kids.” Gold appeared from behind them. “Your Christmas bonus will be delayed until tomorrow.”

“N-no worries, Mr. Gold.” Dove’s face brightened. 

“If you need anything, please call!” 

“Alright, Ms. French.” Gold addressed her once Dove left with a wave. “Are you prepared to decorate for Christmas with my ex-step-daughter and long lost returned son?”

**Author's Note:**

> If you want more just let me know? There was going to be more anyway, but I've been working on this for actual months and wanted to post it and get it out of my To Do list.


End file.
